When I was younger I used to do year round swimming, and every time I had a swim meet I would practically beg my mom to buy me a banana nut muffin. My friends would always head straight for the double chocolate chip muffin. But me? I couldn’t resist a walnut-packed banana nut muffin as big as my face.

This oatmeal is basically that muffin: in a big ole bowl of oatmeal. The trick is to use a ripe banana, and while this may seen blatantly obvious, you would be surprised how many people use unripe bananas in baking recipes.

The bananas featured in these pictures are ripe, my friends, not rotten. (Cough* Mom I’m looking at you). Sure, the plain yellow bananas without a speck of brown may be the best to enjoy alone. But in a banana nut muffin recipe? The riper- the more brown spots- the better.

For this recipe, I also like using plenty of milk. By using more almond milk than you would typically expect, this oatmeal becomes even creamier than you would ever expect a plain bowl of oatmeal to be.

And trust me, this oatmeal is anything but plain.

Banana Nut Oatmeal

1/2 c rolled oats

2 c almond milk

1/2 banana, sliced

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp flax seeds

2 tbs walnut halves and pieces

Combine oats, milk, cinnamon, vanilla, and flax seeds in a saucepan. Heat on medium-high for 8-10 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Once most of the milk has absorbed/boiled off, remove from the heat and add sliced banana. Stir in walnuts.